Trains

The easiest way to travel in Italy

In Italy, and Europe in general, trains are usually your best bet. Not only are they the most popular option but they usually don't cost much either.

Where to buy tickets

Tickets are extremely easy to purchase - you can do so in person at the station at a service window or with one of the many self-service ticket machines that you find there. One nice thing about using the self-service machines is that there are six language options: English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese.

You can also purchase tickets at travel agencies in Italy and now even online at the site www.trenitalia.com, (Click here for the English version). I haven't yet tried the online option since for me it's easy enough to buy one at the station.

When to buy tickets

Many people have asked me about this, wondering if it's necessary to book ahead. Well, it's not always necessary, but it's worth it if you want to ensure that you get a seat or you absolutely have to take a certain train to leave/arrive at a certain time. Let me explain.

First of all, if you're traveling internationally, you should buy a ticket in advance. Not only can you take advantage of lower fares by booking ahead, but international trains don't run as often; if you miss one you might have to wait hours or even days for the next train with the same route.

But, you can often easily arrive at the train station, buy a ticket 15 minutes before your departure, and get to the train without any problems. If I'm doing a daytrip this is what I do. In Italy you can buy tickets right up until when the train departs, and on some trains tickets are sold even when all the seats are taken; this means that on certain trains you might buy a ticket but find yourself standing in the corridor (this is normal, especially on short but heavily-trafficked routes).

The nice thing about the train system in Italy is that there are usually many options; if you arrive at the station and find your 9:50 am train to Florence booked, you'll find another train that leaves soon after.

But if you're traveling with luggage or are headed to a place for more than a day-long trip I'd recommend buying your ticket at least the day before. That way you can simple arrive at the station, validate your ticket, and get on your way without any hassles.

For longer trips this it's a good idea to book at least a day ahead; especially if you're traveling on a weekend and/or during a holiday or busy period, as the trains fill up quickly.

Remember to validate your ticket!

See these little yellow machines? Before boarding your train make sure to stamp your ticket using one of these machines. You can find them on the side of self-service ticket machines as well as throughout the station and on the platforms. If you don't and a controllore catches you you'll be fined.

Types of trains

Here are the main types of trains you can book; you'll see these listed as options on the screen if you use the self-service ticket machines. There are a few other types of trains but here are the main ones and the differences between them:

Eurostar (ES): These are the fastest and nicest, of course you pay for both features! Sitting in Eurostar is like being in business class. For long trips this is the fastest and comfiest choice.
Intercity (IC): These are a step beneath Eurostar but don't have as many stops as a Regional train. If you're not traveling a long distance it's often worth it to take Intercity and save a lot of money even if the trip is a little longer.
Intercity Plus: This is the same as Intercity but usually uses more modern trains.
Regional: This is the slowest train there is. It basically makes stops at every small town you come across. For a short trip it's fine, for a long trip choose something faster even if it costs a bit more.

Checking times and prices

The self-service machines are touch screen and you can use them to check the various arrival times and prices. Just select your route and a train, begin to start the booking, and then use the back button to return to your options once you've seen all the information about the ticket.

This way you can see how much money you're saving between various trains and the time differences between their schedules. And don't worry about accidentally booking a ticket this way: your transaction isn't complete (and the tickets don't print) until a) you put in money or b) you use your credit card to buy the tickets.